This research brief summarizes a study on school engagement among families with criminal justice system involvement. The study found that paternal incarceration is associated with less involvement in school-based activities, likely due to system avoidance by fathers who distrust surveilling institutions like schools. However, incarceration did not impact home-based parental involvement like helping with homework. The brief concludes that schools can encourage involvement from previously incarcerated fathers by establishing a safe, non-surveilling environment and connecting families to supportive programs.

1. RESEARCH BRIEF SERIES
January 2019
School Engagement among Criminal Justice-Involved Families
By Anna Haskins, Cornell University
Background
 Schools are conduit institutions that offer access to
resources and avenues of economic mobility and
social integration.
 Schools do surveillance by keeping formal records
and making direct connections to public agencies,
such as the police and CPS.
 Parents who have been incarcerated may be
suspicious of schools, making them reluctant to be
involved with their child’s school activities.
Parental Involvement and
Incarceration
 Parental educational involvement is beneficial for
children’s grades, school engagement, and
educational attainment.i,ii
 Parents with lower levels of involvement – or who
avoid schools altogether – have less access to
information and relationships with other parents
and school staff. Parents may also distrust school
staff.iii,iv
 Fathers’ involvement in school activities can serve
as a key protective factor for disadvantaged
children.v
The Study
 Data were from the Fragile Families and Child
Wellbeing Study (N = 4,898 children and their
parents)
 Analyzed links between paternal involvement and
child outcomes, including the role of system
avoidance
Why might formerly-
incarcerated fathers be less
involved?
1. System Avoidance: People who have
been involved in the criminal justice
system avoid later engagement with
surveilling institutions like schools.
Fathers may avoid activities that require
interaction with the school, such as
volunteering or attending parent teacher
conferences.ix
2. Opting Out: Many parents “opt-out” of
meaningful interactions with institutions
because of stigma or fear of having their
criminal records discovered by teachers,
school officials, other parents, or their
own children. Opting-out can happen
because parents worry they won’t be
allowed to participate in school activities
such as volunteering because offender
checks are conducted in some states,
including schools within New York State.x
Parental Involvement in School
How does a father’s school involvement
affect his children?
Child Outcomes
Better
grades
Fewer
behavior
problems
More
engaged
in school
Less
likely to
drop out

2. i
Child Trends. 2013. “Parental Involvement in Schools.” Washington, DC: Child Trends, Inc.
ii
Higgins, Steven, and Maria Katsipataki. 2015. “Evidence from Meta-Analysis about Parental Involvement in Education Which Supports Their
Children’s Learning.” Journal of Children’s Services 10(3):280–90.
iii
Domina, Thurston. 2005. “Leveling the Home Advantage: Assessing the Effectiveness of Parental Involvement in Elementary School.”
Sociology of Education 78(3):233–49.
iv
McNeal, Ralph B. 1999. “Parental Involvement as Social Capital: Differential Effectiveness on Science Achievement, Truancy, and Dropping
Out.” Social Forces 78(1):117–44.
v
Jeynes, William H. 2003. “A Meta-Analysis: The Effects of Parental Involvement on Minority Children’s Academic Achievement.” Education
and Urban Society 35(2):202–218
ix
Brayne, Sarah. 2014. “Surveillance and System Avoidance: Criminal Justice Contact and Institutional Attachment.” American Sociological
Review 79(3):367–91.
x
Lageson, Sarah Esther. 2016. “Found Out and Opting Out: The Consequences of Online Criminal Records for Families.” ANNALS of the
American Academy of Political and Social Science 665(1):127–41.
xi
The Osborne Initiative. “The New York Initiative for Children of Incarcerated Parents Creating Safer Spaces.” www.osbornenewyork.org
For more information about Cornell Project 2Gen visit www.2gen.bctr.cornell.edu or contact us at project2gen@cornell.edu.
This research was made possible by the generous contributions of Cornell Project 2Gen and an anonymous donor.
References
Summary of Key Findings
 Paternal incarceration is associated with less
school-based involvement. This was not
true, however, for home-based activities
such as helping with homework or talking
about school.
 System avoidance appears to be one reason
why fathers are less involved in activities at
their child’s school following their
incarceration.
Policy Implications
Involvement by previously incarcerated fathers in their children’s schooling can be encouraged if parents see
schools as safe spaces.xi
 To the degree possible, schools can avoid surveillance, or the perception of it, especially for families that
have already experienced the stress of an imprisoned parent.
o Use a trauma-informed and inclusive lens when structuring family-school partnerships
o Respect privacy and support family connections
 Policymakers should consider holistic social policies that take into account how families, schools, and the
criminal justice system interact.
o Identify supportive programs and help in connecting system-involved families to supports
o Organize learning events that educate and inform school personnel and the school community of
the impact of parental incarceration
Less involvement at school
Paternal incarceration
System avoidance